Rex Farrance, senior tech editor at PC World, was shot to death during a break-in by four masked intruders at his home in the Bay Area suburb of Pittsburg, California. Farrance's wife was also pistol-whipped during the attack. Police are calling it narcoviolence, saying "We have substantial reason to believe that the victim and his wife were involved in the possession and, potentially, the distribution of illegal narcotics." The Farrance's son claims the only drug present was his medically prescribed marijuana stash, grown and stored with his parents' permission. (Though of course, just because the pot was legal doesn't mean the thugs didn't come to steal it.) Either way, harsh.

UPDATE: The MySpace page of Rex Farrance's son, Sterling Farrance.

PC World editor slain at California home [AP]
Man slain in home, wife hurt [SF Chronicle]

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